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He seems to have been around forever doesn’t he? My blood ran cold when I saw him entered in this race today. Glad that he finished safe and sound. I’m not really a fan of the dentist but to give Sam Waley-Cohen a 7 day ban for easing up on this old warrior is utter madness and those responsible need to reconsider their career options. Happy retirement Long Run.
Happy retirement!!!
He had one hell of an engine!!
It was a shame he never learned to jump correctly. I always thought the fact he learned to jump over French fences held him back.
I’ll never forget his Gold Cup win.
I took my older brother who is no longer with us to Cheltenham that day, he wasn’t a horse racing fan and He refused to have a bet as he didn’t gamble but he really enjoyed the spectacle that day and who wouldn’t with Denman, Kauto Star and Long Run jumping the last in near unison.
Happy retirement Long Run.Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
It was a shame he never learned to jump correctly. I always thought the fact he learned to jump over French fences held him back.
That was 100% my take on his technique as well – there was just something ingrained in how he took British fences that he never quite managed to overcome fully, despite the years’ subsequent practice.
Sam’s ban for looking after Long Run up the run-in seems a legitimate reading of the rules as I understand them, but does seem somewhat devoid of heart. Few, if any, would have wanted the risk of the old boy going wrong (right in front of a presumably decent Sunday crowd) by being more aggressively encouraged to hang on to third.
I did wonder whether he might have been given the chance to go out on a high in the Hunt Members race at the Warwickshire Point-to-Point at Mollington on early May Bank Holiday Monday, after which stumps would be drawn. That’s usually a pretty strongly contested race by Members standards, however (something like Penmore Mill would be likely to lie in wait), so I can quite understand that that hasn’t even entered calculations.
Happy retirement, Long Run – very much suspect there’ll be a home for life for you at the Waley-Cohens’ Upton Viva stud.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
I think his jumping issues were athletic rather than ‘cultural’. He has never bent his back properly, causing hind legs ‘errors’ and energy-sap. Simonsig is the same. Douvan is the same, and although Ruby dismissed it as ‘just the way he is’, it will limit his potential imo.
Garde LV suffers from that ‘stiffness’ problem too, but tries to get around it with his flat jumping style.
On the upside, there’s money to be made on these types, because many punters watch only the front end of a horse for mistakes.
Jumping styles fascinate me. Many horses like Sprinter Sacre and Vautour are branded tremendous jumpers: they are spectacular, but far from efficient. A horse who’d have been close to perfection with just a bit more practise was the ill-fated No More Heroes. His jumping was very efficient and safe and he almost always landed perfectly balanced, needing no neck or head adjustment (have a look at some of his runs, just for the joy of watching a rare ‘natural’) He reminded me a lot of Red Rum.
Happy retirement Long Run.
Not surprised got beaten yesterday, was on the downgrade at a younger age than majority of racehorses. At his top class best for such a short space of time (second King George nowhere near the stndard of first). That was some season though and jumping seemed pretty good then – King George and Gold Cup form bordering on an equine “great”, didn’t get the credit he deserved.To be honest, having seen the head on don’t think stewards had any option in banning SWC. Under the rules doesn’t need to be whipped or given a hard race. But so far clear of the others, all that was needed was to push him out for 3rd. But instead took it so easily, Sam looked around and saw the others closing fast – too late – more vigorous riding couldn’t regain momentum and got beaten for a place.
Value Is EverythingHappy retirement Long Run and well done to Sam for dropping his hands! He didn’t cheat anyone since the horse ran his last race and there were only 2 places.
I don’t think he should get punished for doing the right thing.
“…. but now Long Run appears on the scene…”To be honest, having seen the head on don’t think stewards had any option in banning SWC. Under the rules doesn’t need to be whipped or given a hard race. But so far clear of the others, all that was needed was to push him out for 3rd. But instead took it so easily, Sam looked around and saw the others closing fast – too late – more vigorous riding couldn’t regain momentum and got beaten for a place.
Spot on, it was a fair cop, there is no defence. Do the crime do the time.
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